Lirael's Test
by AWildeRomantic
Summary: Sabriel is killed by a necromancer, and her spirit enslaved in death. Now Lirael will do anything to get her sister back...
1. Prologue

A/N This is set a little while after "Abhorsen" Umm...I don't own any of the characters EXCEPT: Eloa Va-daath , Mordecai, and Eladoni Tzabaoth. Those two I made up (Though Eloa Va-daath is one of those nine greater demons..) This is my first fic about Lirael, I usually follow Sabriel. So here goes.  
  
Prologue  
  
The fog was heavy on the long cliffs. The occupants of Abhorsen's house knew something was causing it. Sabriel thought it was just another necromancer. But she was wrong.  
  
In the fog a creature stirred. He got to his feet and padded over to the cliff's edge. He looked across the mighty Ratterlin at the house, snugly situated on a small island. The creature was a strange sight. His body was that of a red furred lion, but from his shoulders, sprouted the body of a man. In this way, he resembled a centaur. But his eyes burned with a red glow, and in place of fingernails, he had long, hooked claws. Also his fur crawled with Free Magic, and decay. His name was Eloa Va-daath.  
  
A man walked to Eloa's side. The man wore a bandolier of bells, marking him a necromancer. His short brown hair hung limply on his shoulders. He spoke to Eloa in a deep harsh voice.  
  
"You called master?" Eloa turned to look at him, the necromancer quelled slightly under that gaze.  
  
"Yes, Mordecai. I have a job for you." Eloa's voice was high, and sharp, with slightly nasal tones. "I want you to kill Abhorsen Sabriel."  
  
Chapter 1: Free magic, and fog.  
  
Lirael sat at the dinner table, the royal family with her, dinner had been long cleared away, but they were talking over matters. Sabriel sat at the head, Lirael on her right and Touchstone on her left. Ellimere sat next to Touchstone, and Sam next to Lirael. Next to Sam, sat a tall, old man wearing white robes and with long white hair.  
  
He was Yrael. Formerly known as Mogget. When Sabriel had showed him a huge act of kindness by setting him free, he pledged loyalty to her. And now continued to stay with them.  
  
"Well." Sabriel said. "As the fog doesn't seem to be letting up, I guess we'll be stuck here a few days. Tomorrow though, I think that Lirael, Yrael, and Myself shall go to the long cliffs and figure out what's the source of the fog. For I do think it is unnatural." Lirael nodded. Yrael spoke.  
  
"Milady, I think that perhaps we should wait. I sense that something very powerful lurks just beyond the front of the fog." Sabriel chewed her lip in a thoughtful way. "Hmmm. Yes. Well, I think we could manage all the same. It probably is just a necromancer with a couple mordicants, at the worst. But now it's late, we should all be getting to bed." With a loud scraping of chairs everyone got up and began to head to their respective bedrooms.  
  
Morning came dark and gloomy. Fog was still banked up on either side of the Ratterlin. Sabriel stood staring out through the front door. Lirael came up behind her, startling her sister slightly.  
  
"Well, are we going?" Lirael had dressed in her surcoat, armor, sword belt, and bandolier. Sabriel had done the same.  
  
"Yes." Sabriel said after a moment. "Yes I think we shall. Yrael?" Yrael came soon, then the three set off for the western set of stepping stones. Crossing them proved very difficult, because long tendrils of fog reached out, making it hard to see where the next stone was. But they finally reached the other side. A faint smell of free magic blew on the wind, both Sabriel and Lirael smelled it. Yrael was silent.  
  
They were standing, trying to decide what to do, when suddenly all three of them sensed death, hundreds of dead things rushing towards them. The Abhorsens drew swords and bells, and Yrael seemed to grow and become the rushing tower of white fire.  
  
Then the dead hit. Much worse than a bunch of dead hands, it was a group of many mordicants and Shadow hands. Lirael and Sabriel fought side by side, until the dead separated them. Sabriel fought her way to the center of the group, and there she found the necromancer. Wreathed in glowing red flames, he looked to be a formidable opponent. But Sabriel was confident in her abilities, and began to ring Saraneth in a figure eight, forcing her control on him.  
  
The Necromancer laughed. He then spoke a quick spell of free magic. At first, Sabriel thought it had failed. Then, she tried to draw a breath. But it was as though she was inhaling water. She simply could not breath. Dropping sword and bells she put her hands to her throat and attempted to cast a counter spell. But her oxygen starved mind could not form even the simplest marks. She stumbled forward and fell to her knees. The last thing she saw, was the necromancers laughing, triumphant face, before her world went dark.  
  
Mordecai had thrown his entire army at the Abhorsen and her apprentice. The Yrael creature had been a surprise, but no hindrance. The Abhorsen Sabriel had practically walked right in to Mordecai's hands. She came fighting valiantly to him. He had laughed at her attempt to bind him. She was no real opponent. His orders were to kill her. It didn't matter how. So he cast a strong choking spell on her, one that wound her throat with invisible chains of free magic. He then watched her, gasping for air, fall dead at his feet. He then turned and left.  
  
Lirael began to look for Sabriel. The last of the dead had been finally dealt with. The fog was beginning to roll back at an unnatural pace, soon Lirael could see far around her.  
  
"Sabriel?" She called, wondering if Sabriel was waiting for her at Abhorsen's bridge. Lirael began to look around her. Perhaps Sabriel was sitting, mending her wounds... Then she noticed something laying on the ground, perhaps fifty feet away. She ran to it.  
  
"Sabriel!" She cried, recognizing the limp form of her sister. She shook Sabriel, to no avail. Then, nervously, she felt for a pulse...there was none. "Yrael! Yrael come quick!" She half sobbed.  
  
Sabriel was plunged into death with a disconcerting suddenness. One minute, she was blacking out on the long cliffs, next she was falling into the river.  
  
"I must have asphyxiated or something," She muttered to herself. Suddenly the roar of the first gate got louder than softer. Sabriel sat up, halting her progress down the river, and stared off towards the first gate. The thing that came out was like nothing she had ever seen. It surprised her so that she actually stood without realizing it. Then the thing spoke,  
  
"Well Abhorsen. So we finally meet. I see my servant has succeeded in getting rid of you." 


	2. Grieving and Seeking

Chapter 2: Grieving and Seeking  
  
Yrael had carried Sabriel's body back to the house. The hardest moment for Lirael was saying what had happened. She reached the front door first, and opened it. Going inside she found the family sitting in the drawing room. Touchstone got up, looking very grim.  
  
"Lirael, tell me she isn't dead." He said simply. When Lirael looked at him, tears briming in her eyes, he simply let out a stangled howl and ran upstairs. She wondered how he had known. Then she realized that surly two who loved each other as much as Sabriel and Touchstone would share some bond.  
  
Sameth and Ellimere looked at her in shock, Lirael could guess what was going through their minds, Sabriel couldn't just...die...she was the Abhorsen, who walked in Death only of her own accord! But every ones thoughts were finalized by Yrael carrying Sabriel's limp body up to her bedroom. Touchstone came down later, his eyes wet and red rimmed. He turned to face Lirael.  
  
"You can bring her back though, right?" He looked at Lirael, pleadingly, when she didn't respond, he cried, "Lirael, tell me you can bring her back! Tell me that she's not gone forever! You're the Abhorsen, you can do things like that, Lirael, Tell me that you can bring Sabriel back to me!" Lirael couldn't meet his gaze. She stared at her feet. And shruged. There had to be a way, She had to hurry though.  
  
"All I can do is try." Lirael said, her voice wavering. With that, she turned and went up the stairs to Sabriel's bedroom.  
  
Yrael stood by the side of the bed. Like a silent sentnal, guarding the body of the former Abhorsen. Lirael crossed the room slowly, and looked upon the body of her sister. Sabriel's skin was paler than it had ever been. Her lips had a faint bluish tint to them. Yrael had layed her out, crossing her arms over her breast, and bandoleir. Lirael sat on the bed and layed her head on Sabriel. She closed her eyes and tried to think of what to do.  
  
The creature grabbed Sabriel by the hair and threw her into the cold water of the sixth precinct.  
  
"I said bow, Abhorsen." His voice was unfamiliar to Sabriel, as was his type. He seemed to be a dead/ Free-magic creature. But his appearance was odd, that of a centaur, with a lions body rather than a horse's. "I am Eloa Va-Daath, and all bow to me!" Sabriel scowled. She wouldn't bow to anyone.  
  
"I will not bow!" She snarled. "To you or anyone, except Touchstone!" She threw a punch at the creature, but he simply caught her wrist in his hand. She pulled away. Suddenly something hit her leg. She bent down to pick it up.  
  
It was a small paper boat. With a tiny blot of blood on the tip. Sabriel knew somehow what this ment. Someone needed help, and she had to go answer their questions. Ignoring Eloa's shouting, she turned and, clutching the boat to her, began to walk back to the first precinct.  
  
Lirael watched the paper boat leave. Sabriel had said to use it if she ever needed a question answered. Lirael waited. She didn't really know what was supposed to happen... Suddenly the roar of the first gate lessened. Lirael could see something coming through. She heald her breath.  
  
As the figure approached Lirael, she could see it was Sabriel! A very shadowy Sabriel, yes, but her all the same. She stood infront of Lirael, and smiled.  
  
"Lirael." She said simply. Lirael then knew what to do. Sadly, Sabriel could only answer direct questions. So Lirael had to think carefully.  
  
"Are you really dead?" She asked, just to be sure.  
  
"Yes" "Have you passed the ninth gate? Is there anyway to get you back, alive?"  
  
"My spirit has yet to pass through the sixth precinct. There is a way to return me to life, yes. Though it is a hard one." Sabriel didn't know how she knew this, somehow, being a guide made her know.  
  
"How then?" Lirael asked. This was just the thing Sabriel had wanted her to ask.  
  
"I am enslaved by a creature called Eloa Va-daath. He holds me prisoner in the sixth precinct. Though I fear he has worse plans for me. I am guarded closely, so do not come alone. You must travel to the Clayr library, and awaken the spirit Eladoni Tzabaoth. He will accompany you here to retrieve my spirit. Once you have me, I will exist in the living world as a ghost, I will then be able to instruct you further." Sabriel was silent. Staring at Lirael with a blank face. She reminded Lirael not of Sabriel, but a dead spirit. With no cares, no worries, no loves... Lirael was about to turn away when she was struck with a thought, not that this question would help her any, but.  
  
"Sabriel, do you still love your family?" Lirael had no idea what the response would be. Sabriel stood there, looking at her. At first, Lirael thought she hadn't heard. But then Sabriel spoke, and a single, pearly tear rolled down her cheek, to drip into the river.  
  
"Yes..." 


	3. Planning and Slavery

Chapter 3: Planning and Slavery  
  
Touchstone entered the room. The scene before him made him start crying... again. Lirael lay with her head on Sabriel's chest. Frost rimmed Lirael's body, and the part of Sabriel she was in contact with.  
  
As Touchstone entered, there was a sharp crackling, as Lirael returned to life. She looked at her brother-in-law, he looked tired, and depressed.  
  
Touchstone asked, his voice wavering, he couldn't bear to think of life without his beloved Sabriel.  
  
She's not passing the ninth gate anytime soon. Lirael began, Touchstones face lit up at this. But, she's enslaved by something... in the sixth precinct. She gave me orders on how to get her back into life.  
  
Touchstone nodded. Then the two of them sat down in front of the fire and began to plan how to best to follow the directions, and get Sabriel back.  
  
Sabriel was jerked back to the sixth gate with ferocity by her strange captor. He snarled at her saying something along the lines of stupid paper boats. He then turned to face the sixth gate, and called a name into the depths.  
  
Sabriel shuddered at this cry. She didn't realize she was still clutching Lirael's paper boat to her chest. When she did, she tucked it under her sword belt.  
  
A necromancer strode out of the gate, the spell that let him pass still glowing on his tongue. He went to Eloah, and the two exchanged many hurried whispers. Sabriel realized that she should be trying to get away, but something held her feet in place.  
  
Finally Mordecai turned and began to approach her, drawing a bell as he did so. When Sabriel saw what it was, she opened her mouth to say something, but Mordecai had already rung it, and Sabriel found she couldn't say anything.  
  
The bell was Dyrim, the speaker. Who could give speech to a silent tongue, or still a speaking one forever.  
  
Lirael and Touchstone decided that they would fly up to Clayr glacier by paperwing, taking Sam, Ellimere, Yrael, and Sabriel's body with them. Sam, Ellimere and Yrael (back to his white cat shape, for simple transportation problems) would fly in one of the paperwings, Lirael, Touchstone, and Sabriel's body would go in the other.  
  
Only when they reached the paperwing landing platform did Lirael realize something. The only person here who knew how to fly a paperwing was Sam. Touchstone was to terrified, and Lirael had to ride with him. She was about to ask Sam how it was done, When Yrael stuck his head out of the pack and said,  
  
Lirael, look at the Mirror, it will show you what to do. Then more quietly, as though to himself That's how Sabriel learned, and look at what a great flyer she is...was...will be.... He retreated back inside.  
  
When everyone was loaded into the paperwings, Lirael looked at the mirror on hers. At first she didn't see anything. So she leaned closer, so close that her breath fogged the glass.  
  
Then charter marks began to appear. Ones for raising and lowering the wind, controlling the craft, and many other things. When they had finished, Lirael straightened up, nodded at Sam, and the two began to whistle up the marks to call a wind that would carry them to Clayr's glacier.  
  
Eloah stood, laughing to himself. He was watching the Abhorsen try and regain her voice. She was using everything from charter magic, to her own Dyrim. But because she could not speak, no spells came to her. And because she was technically dead, her bell would not sing.  
  
Eloah was worried though. Who had summoned the Abhorsen? What had she told them? Eloah hoped that it wasn't how to free her. He hadn't told the Abhorsen, but if she was in that...messenger...helper...form, she would have been able to say anything. He shuddered. Well, he thought, if someone does try to free her, they'll just have to deal with me. And if they bring Eladoni, well, I'll just have to deal with him.  
  
A/N He he. So the plot thickens. Please review. No reviews, and I'll be sad...


End file.
